Star*Drive Saturday: The Sesheyan

Last week it was the cyberbionic race of the Mechalus, this week it is the:

Female (top), and male (bottom).

SESHEYAN

A primitive people who are forever under control of the monolithic VoidCorp as slaves or assassins. Few escape and become some of the galaxy's most feared hunters.

• Homeworld: Sheya (VoidCorp space)
• Average Lifespan: 180 years
• Average Height: 1.7 m standing (5.5 ft)
• Average Weight: 40 kg (88 lbs)
• Current Population: 17 billion, highest within VoidCorp (95%)

The world of Sheya, meaning “hunting land” in their language, is a dark tropical moon of a gas giant. They are far enough away from their sun to keep the world in a perpetual twilight, but receive enough heat from the core planet and sun to keep it warm. The sesheyan, meaning “hunters of the land”, were the undisputed masters. They believed the purpose of the world was to provide food for its children. They evolved to an aboriginal stage of development, keeping oral histories and working with tools no more complicated than stone blades and wood spears. Everything is mystical and magical to the sesheyan people, and tribes are often lead by the influential shamans. Then a VoidCorp survey ship landed on Sheya in 2273, and since that day they had fallen under control of the corporate state. They call the day aikeita (day of ghosts) and it ended their peaceful primitive lifestyle. Outside the borders of VoidCorp, many believe the sesheyans got a raw deal. Social criticism, media coverage, and holofilms depict even the most nefarious sesheyans as unwilling pawns to be pitied or even rescued. You can bet that any videos of rebellious sesheyan don’t make it inside VoidCorp. The company of course sees things differently. They saw a race living in terrible straits, victims of a stagnant culture. They brought them out of the darkness of their own ignorance, enlightening the dark jungle world. They became VoidCorp employees like any other. They actually have clear equal rights under official corporate memorandum. They have equal opportunities for advancement given their unique skills. The elevation of more than a dozen to vice presidential level (ZA or above) demonstrates VoidCorp’s commitment to promotion through achievement. It’s true few are found outside of VoidCorp, but their numbers were never very large.

First Contact

A typical sesheyan hunter maintains an outward appearance of confidence and power, but inside struggles to stay brave in the face of so many frightening strange and seemingly magical things. Most humans can’t help but feel uneasy in their presence. This attitude stems from humankind’s innate fear of the dark, and the creatures that inhabit it. As born hunters they may seem to others as emotionless, but they actually have a profound respect for all life and its place in the natural cycle. Technology is new and alien to them. They can eventually learn to use high tech equipment, but generally never feel comfortable with it. Some deeply religious ones refuse to have anything to do with it. Sesheyan heroes would belong to the small group who have gotten familiar with technology. They will operate a computer, station, or ship, but that doesn’t mean they have to like it.

Tribal meeting.

They have bulbous heads encircled by 8 small eyes, and capped by large pointed ears (male ears are generally larger than a female’s). Their body is a light muscular frame with powerful wings that extend to a 6 meter span that spread from their back, and a long tail with an expandable fan-shaped tip, which provides stabilization while in flight. Wings can be folded tightly against their back when not in use. They are considered the most alien of the new species that stepped out into the galaxy with the help of humans. They are built to function in darkness with extreme precision and grace. In perpetual twilight jungles of Sheya their senses serve them well. With hypersensitive eyes and ears, they become unparalleled hunters. When in normal light, they require goggles to shield their eyes.



Rogue Space Character Ideas
A player may choose to be of the sesheyan race. He/she must follow the restriction below, but also gains the benefit below.

• Restriction: Rogue only.
• Benefits: In normal gravity they can use their wings to glide or fall safely, but not fly. They are capable of small flights in half-gravity conditions, and have great control in zero gravity (all assuming the presence of atmosphere). Has low-light vision. Can see in complete darkness as though dim light, but is sensitive to bright light, needing special sun-goggles in daylight.

Ghostwalker
Sesheyans utilize a lot of mythological references in their language and culture. A ghostwalker is the term they use for ones either willingly (or unwillingly) under the employ of VoidCorp. In playing a ghostwalker they are generally assassins, thieves, or trackers. He could be under servitude of a fellow VoidCorp player, or on assignment into the verge similar to the Corporate Agent character here. In general the prey and environment has changed, but the skills remain the same. Sesheyans are hunters out in the galaxy as they are on their homeworld.

Windspirit
VoidCorp prefers to call them outlaws. These are the few who have escaped the clutches of corporate control. A windspirit player is generally considered a mercenary or free agent to whoever could use the skills of a sesheyan. They must be careful in dealing with VoidCorp officials, though, as they could be targeted for recapture or given their presence known to home office. Many claim Galactic Concord citizenship (whether true or false) to avoid repeat enslavement.

Free Heart
This is the term used to describe those who are generally still living and hunting on Sheya. It's also the term to describe how life was before first contact. VoidCorp views Free Hearts as less than reliable and assigns them to hard labor. Few sesheyan heroes come from this primitive class, but windspirits and ghostwalkers almost always begin here before they learn the nuances of technology and become adapted to galactic life.

I just saw it in the window and had to have it!

A Kickstarter project that took a little self convincing to get on board. Loud Ninja Games aimed to make probably what would be the first space dinosaur minis I have ever seen. At first I really didn't have enough incentive to back, because they were designed to be 15mm scale. I have no other minis in that scale, or any games in that scale to play around with them. Luckily a stretch goal was reached to offer a squad of these dudes in 28mm scale at the $25 backing level. I was sold.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with these little bastards...

Star*Drive Saturday: The Mechalus

Last week it was the psionically talented Fraal, this week it is the:

Female and Male

MECHALUS

A synthetic and advanced race of pacifists who excel in computers, cybernetics, and grid technology.

• Homeworld: Aleer (Rigunmor Star Consortium space)
• Average Lifespan: 250 years
• Average Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
• Average Weight: 90 kg (200 lb)
• Current Population: 38 billion, highest within the Rigunmor Star Consortium (87%)

Aleer is an earth-like world that gave rise to an intelligent race which followed relatively the same social and technical evolutionary path as humans. Except when computers came to be, this is where the paths diverged. They progressed considerably by leaps coupled with significant advances in medicine and genetic engineering. This made them bio-engineer their species and implant molecular level cybernetics which created a synthesis of flesh and circuitry. Their children are now born with cyberbionics. They then developed space travel and settled their own star system. But their warlike tendencies had a bad outcome when they made contact with another species on a planet within their own system. In response to a hostile reaction from these creatures, the aleerins used their mass destruction weapons to obliterate the population of the planet. Shortly thereafter an emotional backwash swept through the entire culture on what they had done. A change in character was seen as necessary for their species. They became more sedate and less inclined toward hostility. They resolved to never again use violence unnecessarily against another sentient species.

Shorty after they made contact with a Rigunmor explorer ship. The aleerins were very willing to sign a commercial agreement with the Consortium. Although the Rigunmors credit it to their ability to strike good deals and negotiations, the truth is they were vulnerable after they had caused the genocide of another race, and were looking for anything to change. Humans nicknamed them the 'mechalus' and they adopted it willingly, viewing the shedding of their old name as one of the last elements of their social revolution.

The mechalus' unique ability with technology contributed to the Consortium's growth in interstellar power. Though most refused to fight during the Second Galactic War, the indirect effects of mechalus assistance with the grid proved essential, especially against the computer savvy VoidCorp. Even the most pacifist mechalus does not consider grid warfare as violence, and embrace it wholly. Today the mechalus are recognized as the unquestioned masters of computers and grid tech. They are front line defenders for Consortium grids, and others through contracts. Only the best of Insight and VoidCorp can match mechalus grid skills.

At a glance a mechalus can be mistake for a human, even only briefly. Veins of circuitry weave with flesh and blood to form a totally synthesized body. Mechalus hair is a combination of protein strands and filaments of cable and wire. Skeletons enforced with synthetic material and bony protective plates can be seen beneath their bio-organic flesh at the shoulders and across the chest. The unique feature of a mechalus is their ability to merge physically with computers. Filaments extend from their fingers, snake into computers, and form a hard link to the machine. Their cyber-organic brains then communicate directly with the computer, providing them with better control than any manual interface. Although they think with precision and logic of a machine, they are a highly emotive people who work exceedingly hard to promote their positive emotions, and subdue their negative ones. Knowing what sort of destruction they are capable of, they make this a conscious and constant effort. In tense dangerous situations they are likely to remain calm and logical. Humans may often observe that it seems like they are putting extra effort to appear cheerful or jubilant, but mechalus consider this a normality. They do wish to prove to others that they are more than just machines in semi-organic bodies.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
A player may choose to be of the mechalus race. He/she must follow the restriction below, but also gains the benefit below.

• Restriction: Technician or Warrior only.
• Benefit: You begin play with a free equivalent to an NIJack that allows you to mind meld with computers and the grid merely through hand touch. You also gain a +1 bonus to using computers and the grid. Mechalus are also immune to the effects of the Cykosis rule (special).

Mechalus Grid Pilot
Character Background: Hacker
High Attributes: Scientific and Repairing
Archetype: Technician
When the worst of the grid war spilled over from Insight and VoidCorp into the Consortium, you were right there on the front line of defense. Due to your natural affinity with computers, the Consortium has you to thank for Rigunmor's grid stability. Now that things have calmed down, you find yourself less in need in old space, and the grid is just reopening in the Verge. The Concord or any group of adventurers could have use of the most skilled grid pilots in the galaxy.

Mechalus Cyberwarrior
Character Background: Soldier
High Attributes: Fighting and Repairing
Archetype: Warrior
Not every mechalus is a pacifist. While you may not be overly violent, you are also not afraid of a fight. With inhuman composure you handle tense combat, and thanks to all your cybernetic enhancements, you are also extremely formidable. The mechalus are immune to the effects of cykosis so they can utilize special cybernetics freely, even the normally dangerous ones, like Muscle Plus and the Fast Chip. But can still be effected by the tremendous strain such devices place on the body.

NOTE: When Wizards scrapped Alternity, and released the d20 Future book, they moved a lot of elements from Star*Drive over. In the d20 Future book, the mechalus are referred to as aleerins. 

Facility: WIP Hezak Minis

I thought I'd do a quick post showing some WIPs of my Hezak minis for the Facility boardgame. The concept art was featured here. They are mostly done, I will just need to test print them when I get the printer and modify them accordingly. Designing things for 3D printing can be challenging. You can't have too much of an overhang is a big thing. Which is why on the lower mini I have his smaller right arm connecting to form a bridge to his larger right arm.

Star*Drive Saturday: The Fraal

Kicking off the weekly segment on the 5 major Alien races, today it is the:

Male and Female

FRAAL

The graceful and wise race of psionics who come from a forgotten past, seeking a new home, and finding it among us here with humanity.

• Homeworld: Unknown
• Average Lifespan: 450 years
• Average Height: 1.5m (5 ft)
• Average Weight: 55 kg (120 lbs)
• Current Population: 26 Billion, highest within the Orion League (28%).

Nomadic starfarers who came to earth 10,000 years ago. A large group of explorers traveling by slow moving colony ships, crossing the void of space over many centuries. The trip, however, was plagued by disaster after disaster, and by the time they reached our system they had lost contact with home. Damage to the ship computers resulted in loss of vital information like technical know-how and most historical records, like the location and details of the fraal homeworld. They set up base on earth and observed humans, who were primitive but showed great potential. Meetings lead to earth legends, like spirits or gods. The humans feared them. They reluctantly kept their distance in our star system and waited until we were ready. They eventually made contact in 2124, and soon an alliance and exchange of thoughts and ideas were made. Such exchanges lead to the invention of the stardrive. A technology that would not have been possible for either race alone. In general, fraal and humans are close friends. They have known each other and have been companions in the stars for almost 400 years.

Concord Administrator and Fraal

Fraal Matriarch

Fraal society is actually split between 2 major groups. The wanderers and the builders. A full third of the frall population live apart from humans. These wanderers are the older generations and prefer life on the colony ships and still search for home. They aren't very fond of humans, finding them reckless and brash. They keep with strict old fraal traditions, like a matriarchal society. Builders are the younger generations, and mingle with humans, taking up human causes and nationalities. They have adopted more equal rights views and abandoned many inflexible traditions. They believe life with humans are the future of their race, and their calling is to help guide them along the path of development and galactic life. In general, fraal adventurers are builders.

All fraal communicate with themselves via psionic link, but they have also mastered many languages to communicate with others. Powers of the mind have religious significance. They believe all species can share a common ground by touching thoughts and sharing their peace. They are pacifists and believe violence should only be a last resort. Many are foolish in thinking, however, that they will not fight back when pushed. Still, they demonstrate extreme patience, sometimes to the anger of other species. While many find fraal aloof or unemotional, the truth is they have a lot of powerful emotions. They just control them better. They are not physically inclined. They tend to prefer developing their minds instead of bodies. They have large eyes, pale luminous skin, and swept back years. Many are bald, but some have wisps of silver, white, or pale yellow hair. Even the young have an ancient wizened look, which can be intimidating and disconcerting to humans.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
A player may choose to be of the fraal race. He/she must follow the restriction below, but also gains the benefit below.

• Restriction: Technician, Rogue, or Mindwalker(Special) only.
• Benefit: All fraal are psykers, even if they don't have the +2 Empathy normally needed. They can have 1 additional psionic power at level 1.

Postcognition helps solve a crime.

Fraal Ambassador
Character Background: Diplomat
High Attributes: Empathy and Acquiring
Archetype: Rogue or Mindwalker(Special)
You have an uncanny ability to open contact with others, and be a representative of your group. Your empathic abilities give you an upper edge in negotiating and diplomacy. You are also the ship's counselor, keeping watch of the crew's mental health and well being. On more than one occasion you may find yourself at a crime scene, in which case your skills can help. Whether it be through interrogation or investigation, your powers become invaluable. Whatever it is you do exactly, fraal ambassadors and diplomats are always in high demand, especially in the Verge.

Fraal Xenobiologist
Character Background: Scientist
High Attributes: Scientific and Acquiring
Archetype: Technician
One thing that drives builder fraal is curiosity and the desire to learn. You have taken a unique interest in the science of life, and seek out new alien worlds, life, and ecologies. Your mind powers also make you a skilled first contact consul. In the event of meeting other sentient life, you can pick up how their minds work, and create a basic foundation of communication and understanding. On the ship your knowledge of biology can be put to use as a doctor, diagnosing mysterious ailments. You know there is much to be discovered in the young Verge, and so you venture forth in hopes to better understand the universe.

13 Nations

I hope you have been enjoying Star*Drive Saturday. It's been fun summarizing each of the 13 human stellar nations and coming up with character hook and ideas for Rogue Space. In the coming saturdays I will be doing the major alien races and the parts they play in all of this. After that I'll do parts on Cybernetics and Psionics.

So let's review:

• A brief history of Star*Drive - Short history lesson up to 2501, present day.
• Austrin-Ontis Unlimited - Gun crazy corporate nation.
• Borealis Republic - Philosophers, scientists, and high education.
• Hatire Community - Monastic theocracy that fights against technology use and cybernetics.
• Insight - A spin-off of VoidCorp that believes in the absolute freedom of information.
• Nariac Domain - Communistic nation with prevalent cybernetics and hard workers.
• Orion League - A democracy of independent worlds.
• Orlamu Theocracy - A religious nation of physicists who worship drivespace and scientific theory.
• Rigunmor Star Consortium - Merchant nation where wealth and trade is everything.
• StarMech Collective - Builds the finest ships in the galaxy, and always holds the best parties.
• Thuldan Empire - Highly patriotic and imperial nation of military conquerors.
• Union of Sol - Preservers of humanities history, and diplomatic and trade center of the stellar ring.
• VoidCorp -Rigid and cold corporate nation leading computer technology and interstellar communication.
• The Galactic Concord - Results of the Second Galactic War, and is trying to hold it all together.

Which nation would your human character be from?

Star*Drive Saturday: The Galactic Concord

Last week it was the rigid corporate nation of VoidCorp, now it is the final stellar nation:

THE GALACTIC CONCORD

If you are a member of a new body of people that believes the future of humanity is not the conquering of all other nations, but a treaty of working together, then you might be a Concordan.

• Population: 631 Billion Sentients
• Founding Year: 2472
• Capital World: Concord
• Dominant Faiths: Orlamism and Humanity Reformation
• Notable Locations: T'sa Cluster (stellar ring, Concord Prime. The T'sa have no allegiance to any nation and remain completely independent under their own governing. The Concord acts as their protectors from outside threats), Kendai Station (stellar ring, Concord Taurus. The only drivesat that connects all communication between the stellar ring and the Verge. Was destroyed through most of GW2, plunging the Verge in a 121 year information blackout. Just recently repaired and the Concord's primary effort is establishing contact with the remote Vergers), The Lighthouse (Traveling fortress ship in the Verge. Also headquarters to Galactic Concord presence in the Verge. Donated by the Orlamu Theocracy in the Treaty of Concord)

(Note: For more information on the formation and the Treaty of Concord, see A Brief History, and the Orion League.)

Formed from the wreckage of the Second Galactic War, the Galactic Concord stands as mankind's hope for the future. Cobbled together from the losers and leftovers of the war by the surviving nations, the Concord is an arbiter in the affairs of stellar nations. The Concord has been described as humanity's jury, a moral compass intended to keep all the stellar nations in line.

The Treaty of Concord established the groundwork. It finalized the borders between the stellar nations, established Concord Neutralities (highlighted in the map above), allocated resources from the existing governments into a pool that became the property of the Galactic Concord, protected the T'sa by establishing their cluster of space as a Concord protectorate, and created the 13th stellar nation. The nation created by the treaty is a hybrid unlike any of the other stellar nations. Its borders are scattered accross Old Space, creating neutral territory between wartime enemies. Its governmental bodies contain members from all of the stellar nations. The Concord military is likewise composed of members from every nation and species. In the years since the war, Concord authorities have successfully brought numerous small conflicts to close.

Members of the Galactic Concord have a knack for reading the political climate of the times, and they realize that they have both great power and responsibility in dealing with the other stellar nations. A Concordan in a position of authority knows that rash decisions-even moral decisions, in some instances-could catapult human space into another war. While most Concordans have a strong sense of right and wrong, they realize that such tender sensibilities must sometimes be sacrificed to insterstellar diplomacy and peace. Concordans take extraordinary risks to do the right thing, even if it means ruffling a few feathers along the way. Concordans excel at knowing where the thin gray line begins and ends, having an innate understanding of just how far to push before backing down.

The political pressures that ignited the Second Galactic War still prevail in the stellar ring and the Verge. With commendable foresight, the Concord recognized that these problems are spilling over into the Verge. Unable to address the danger directly for fear of starting another conflict, the Concord is using the Verge as a testing ground for resolving the bitter rivalries of old space. Perhaps if a particular approach succeeds in the Verge, it will have a similar effect back in the stellar ring.

Sesheyan, VoidCorp Employee, Concordan, and T'sa

Paraphrased from: David Eckleberry, and Richard Baker. Star*Drive Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.O. Box 707 Renton, WA. 98057-0707: Wizards of the Coast / TSR, 1998.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
The Concord is still a fairly new nation. It comprises primarily of people moved to it from other nations, and some from territories that were 'donated' to the Treaty of Concord from the dead and surviving nations of the Second Galactic War. To become a Concordan means to cast of prejudice and your old allegiances and bias and join with an open mind. Many often still bring in their quirks, customs, and possessions, so long as it doesn't interfere with their duty as mankind's jury. A player may choose to be a Concordan for his/her race (human only) during character creation. If they specify what nation (if any) they originally came from they may either keep that nation's benefits, or gain +1 luck. Concordans are known to be extremely resilient and resourceful.

Concord Administrator
Character Background: Diplomat
High Attributes: Empathy and Fighting
Archetype: Rogue
The Administrator's motto is "Our duty is peace." You are of the few invited and trained in the elite college, Ascension, to oversee the lawless edges of humanity. By Concord law, Administrators are authorized to arrest, convict, and sentence criminals out in the lonely depths of space. Sometimes they are left with little choice but to execute summary punishment. You are a wandering official of the Concord, a judge, diplomat, and law enforcer. You carry authority like a shield, display your commitment like a lantern in the darkness, and wield the Tri-Staff with the strength of your conviction. You have the power to remove corrupt politicians, law enforcement agents, and other Concord appointees from positions of authority. Naturally Administrators are subjected to the most rigorous examinations of physical fitness, intelligence, and moral fiber. They wouldn't give this power to just anyone.

The Tri-Staff
An impressive looking weapon that is the Concord Administrator's badge of office and an effective means of self defense. It consists of a massive 3-pronged blade at the end of a 2 meter long staff. When the device is activated, it is capable of dealing out large amounts of energy damage-and it exudes a force field that grants the weilder a +1 to action tests vs range and melee attacks.

Concord Tri-Staff - Damage: V - Range: Melee - Special: +1 to action tests vs range and melee attacks - Cost: 1,000 cr (standard issue for Administrators, but on the black market the price can double)

Concord Marine
Character Background: Soldier
Hight Attributes: Fighting and Acquiring
Archetype: Warrior
The motto of the Concord Marines is "Eager to strike". You are from a highly trained force of soldiers used for interstellar peace-keeping operations. When the Concord expects trouble, or wants some, they send you in. The Marines, by their very nature, must be ready for a state of war at all times. The Concord is trying their best to prevent another Galactic War, but in case they do, they have the Star Force, the Concord Defense Corps, and of course, the Marines.